bicycle, also called bike ,
two-wheeled steerable machine that is pedaled by the rider’s feet. On a standard bicycle the wheels are mounted in-line in a metal frame, with the front wheel held in a rotatable fork. The rider sits on a saddle and steers by leaning and turning handlebars that are attached to the fork. The feet turn pedals attached to cranks and a chainwheel. Power is transmitted by a loop of chain connecting the chainwheel to a sprocket on the rear wheel. Riding is easily mastered, and bikes can be ridden with little effort at 16–24 km (10–15 ... (100 of 4,132 words)